Speaking of lazy, we can't quite decide if your not crawling business boils down to just simply being lazy or that you are just so darn laid-back and easy going. Sometimes you get up into the crawl position and then lazily throw yourself forward onto your tummy and roll away. Other times you get into the crawl position and use only your legs to push yourself forward leaving your chest on the floor. Then there are times when you are trying to get to a toy and after lots of work, you just give up and start playing with your hands or something closer to you. You are getting much closer to crawling. Now you are consistently army crawling. You also get up on all 4's a lot more. Before you would get up on your knees, but keep your chest on the ground. You still keep your belly on the ground while using your arms to spin yourself around to the direction you want to roll or move to. It's all quite entertaining. Luckily I've talked to some other moms whose babies didn't crawl until 12+ months, so I feel much better that you are a bit of a late bloomer.
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| You can almost stand without help. |
You may be taking your time with crawling, but you are all about talking. For a while now you've been saying mama and dada. I swear you now seem to use them directed at the right person. When I walk into a room and you see me you go off with mama mama mama. You do the same thing when I leave a room. When you are upset and want to be held, it's also mama mama mama. We aren't sure if we should consider mama and dada as your first words or if we should consider it kitty. A few days ago you looked down the hall at Skippy and said ki-ki-ee. Then later when you were in my lap and saw Skippy walk by you said it again! Your grammy has sworn you say doggie because when you see the dogs you say something that sounds like dog, but I've also heard you just babble it or say it when looking at other things so I'm not sure, but kitty you only say when looking at Skippy!
We love that you are communicating now. The talking is just part of it. You are also shaking your head no. Sometimes you seem to use it when you mean to say no. Other times you just like to vigorously shake your head back and forth. You must enjoy the way it feels. When you first started doing it I would laugh because I would ask you if you wanted more food. You would shake your head no and then open your mouth inviting more food. You also give us high fives if we reach out our hand and ask you for a high five. You love Harper and if I ask you where Harper is, you will scooch around to find her and then look at her and laugh.
One of your favorite things to do is to play with doors. When you get close to a door you reach over, push it, and swing it around. You also like to open drawers. It makes me nervous because you will open a drawer, put your hand over it so your fingers hang down inside the drawer, and then push the drawer shut. I'm so worried you will one day push the drawer closed on your fingers before I see to stop you. Something else you have been all about is putting your feet up on the wall. You love to reach them up onto the walk and slam the wall with your feet. You also use the wall to push off and slide yourself across the floor. A couple days ago I went into your bedroom to get you up after a nap and you were sitting in your crib. I so wish I'd seen how you did it! You haven't done it since, but I'm sure it means you will be soon!
When I leave daycare in the morning and at luchtime I always blow you kisses. I'm hoping it's something you pick up soon. Just recently you've started putting your hand up to your mouth like you are going to blow a kiss. It is so sweet and I can't wait until it turns into a full-on blown kiss! Sometimes you suck your hand when it's over your mouth which is so funny!
One day you will hear the song, "What Does the Fox Say" and wonder what was wrong with people back in 2013 that made them like it. It is a ridiculous song, but you love it. I don't think you've ever heard the actual version, but you love to hear me sing it and dance along. I prefer to sing "What Does Carter Say" and then make noises that you make. You think that is hilarious and smile and dance along, sometimes even clapping for me. During your photo shoot singing that song was how we got you to look at the camera and smile.
Speaking of songs, I sang one to you I made up and sang to you all the time in your first few months and wanted to write it down so I don't forget it. Instead of singing "All Around the Mulberry Bush" I changed it up a bit. It goes like this: All Around the Mulberry bush mommy chased Carter. Carter stopped to look at a toy, muah, (I lean down and say muah as I kiss you) mommy kissed him. You always laugh when I kiss you. I feel like you wish I'd skip the whole song and just say muah and kiss you.
Bathtime just keeps getting more and more fun. You pretty much refuse to lay down in the tub. You want to sit up the entire time. You will move around in the tub and sometimes get down onto your tummy to splash with your legs, roll around, and make me nervous with your mouth and nose so close to the water! Your favorite toys are bath books, wash cloths, your letters and numbers, and your scuba man we like to call Scuba Steve. Your favorite thing is when I put the letters and numbers on the side of the tub for you to pull down. Another thing you do to make me nervous is pull up on the side of the tub. You will sit there on your knees and peer over the tub at me. We still have shampoo bottles in the corners of the tub which you like to pull down.
Something you've been doing ever since your top 2 teeth came in is grind your teeth. You grind your top 2 teeth with your bottom 2 teeth. It is such an odd sound. You normally just do it when you are tired, but every once in a while you do it just because. It really bothers daddy. I don't mind the sound too much, but hope you grow out of the habit before your permanent teeth come in!
I feel like every month I'm going to describe sleep as all over the place. You do really well with sleeping through the night as long as you aren't having issues. This month your issues have been teething and an ear infection. If you are healthy and you don't have teeth coming in you sleep through the night, but I feel like we haven't had a whole lot of that, although we've had much more of it this month than any other. This month your gums are like a teeth factory. Popping out teeth like it's their job. Right now I can see lots of white right underneath the pink of your gums. You have your top 2 middle teeth, your bottom 2 middle teeth, and a top tooth to the left of your middle teeth. From the looks of your gums there will be more coming through within the next few days and/or weeks.
We've been playing with your car quite a bit this month. You love to be pushed around on it and can even use your legs to push yourself backwards. When we first started using it I would hold your legs to help keep you on and at the same time lift them up so your feet wouldn't touch the ground. It didn't take you long to figure it out. Now you hold on all by yourself and when we start to push you, you immediately lift your feet off the ground and hold them up so you can move. You are a smart cookie!
You've done much better napping at daycare this month. You usually take at least one hour long nap. They even put you on a cot on the floor to sleep in with the one year olds one day. I can't believe they've already started transitioning you into the one year old room. You will move over to that room full-time in January. It's hard to believe you are old enough to be in that room, but you do seem to fit in with those kids better except for the fact that they are all walking and you aren't.
Your buddy Jasmine gets so excited when you come over to visit the one year old room. One day as we were leaving for the day, her class was walking down the hall. She squealed when she saw you and ran over to see you. It was so sweet. You also have a new friend in your current class. She thinks you are simply amazing (who can argue with her?). When we arrive in the morning if I'm still holding you and she sees you, she starts crying because she wants you to come play with her. The minute I put you down beside her, she stops crying. She cries when I pick you up for the day and it's so sad. You seem to like her too, but aren't quite as smitten as she is. There's a little boy in the one year old room who always says "Hi, Carter" when we arrive in the morning and it's so cute. Although I hate being away from you, I love that you get to interact with other babies/toddlers all day. Seeing the interaction you have and the friends you've made really solidifies for me that we made the right decision in sending you to daycare.
This month you have started weaning yourself. You have no interest in nursing for a meal. You eat breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner all with just a drink of milk to wash it down. It doesn't matter whether I nurse you before or after you eat, you drink the same amount, so I usually just do what works best for us in that moment. You still eat rice cereal or oatmeal cereal in the morning for breakfast. You have a morning snack around 9:00. You eat lunch around 11:00 or 11:30. Afternoon snack is around 3:00 and dinner is usually around 6:30, but can be as early as 6:00 and as late as 7:00. You are no longer eating any purees. We finished off the last of the ones I'd made at the beginning of the month and you've moved on to table food at daycare and at home.
We haven't tried many new foods this month. You've had cucumber, black beans, colby jack cheese, and eggs. It's been interesting that some things you liked or at least tolerated as purees you completely turn your nose up at as a table food. You weren't a huge fan of eggplant or zucchini as a puree, but you would eat them. They've been a huge no go as a table food though. I don't like them all alone either so I'm thinking I just need to find a good recipe to sneak them into. You LOVED applesauce. I'd go as far as to say it was one of your favorites. But cut up apples? They end up on the floor. The really sad part is that Harper won't even eat them. Maybe you just need more teeth for them because they are a bit hard.
Bananas are definitely your favorite food right now. You will grab an entire banana and just chow down on it. You've been known to eat 2 bananas as part of dinner. None of that surprises me because I was obsessed with bananas when I was pregnant with you (I used to tolerate them, but definitely didn't like them). I would eat one every day and some days I'd eat 2 or 3. I also loved black beans, cheese, and salsa. So far you love everything you've tried that I craved when pregnant. You haven't had salsa yet, I'll be interested to see what you think when you try it!
We've been playing with your car quite a bit this month. You love to be pushed around on it and can even use your legs to push yourself backwards. When we first started using it I would hold your legs to help keep you on and at the same time lift them up so your feet wouldn't touch the ground. It didn't take you long to figure it out. Now you hold on all by yourself and when we start to push you, you immediately lift your feet off the ground and hold them up so you can move. You are a smart cookie!
You've done much better napping at daycare this month. You usually take at least one hour long nap. They even put you on a cot on the floor to sleep in with the one year olds one day. I can't believe they've already started transitioning you into the one year old room. You will move over to that room full-time in January. It's hard to believe you are old enough to be in that room, but you do seem to fit in with those kids better except for the fact that they are all walking and you aren't.
Your buddy Jasmine gets so excited when you come over to visit the one year old room. One day as we were leaving for the day, her class was walking down the hall. She squealed when she saw you and ran over to see you. It was so sweet. You also have a new friend in your current class. She thinks you are simply amazing (who can argue with her?). When we arrive in the morning if I'm still holding you and she sees you, she starts crying because she wants you to come play with her. The minute I put you down beside her, she stops crying. She cries when I pick you up for the day and it's so sad. You seem to like her too, but aren't quite as smitten as she is. There's a little boy in the one year old room who always says "Hi, Carter" when we arrive in the morning and it's so cute. Although I hate being away from you, I love that you get to interact with other babies/toddlers all day. Seeing the interaction you have and the friends you've made really solidifies for me that we made the right decision in sending you to daycare.
This month you have started weaning yourself. You have no interest in nursing for a meal. You eat breakfast, morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner all with just a drink of milk to wash it down. It doesn't matter whether I nurse you before or after you eat, you drink the same amount, so I usually just do what works best for us in that moment. You still eat rice cereal or oatmeal cereal in the morning for breakfast. You have a morning snack around 9:00. You eat lunch around 11:00 or 11:30. Afternoon snack is around 3:00 and dinner is usually around 6:30, but can be as early as 6:00 and as late as 7:00. You are no longer eating any purees. We finished off the last of the ones I'd made at the beginning of the month and you've moved on to table food at daycare and at home.
We haven't tried many new foods this month. You've had cucumber, black beans, colby jack cheese, and eggs. It's been interesting that some things you liked or at least tolerated as purees you completely turn your nose up at as a table food. You weren't a huge fan of eggplant or zucchini as a puree, but you would eat them. They've been a huge no go as a table food though. I don't like them all alone either so I'm thinking I just need to find a good recipe to sneak them into. You LOVED applesauce. I'd go as far as to say it was one of your favorites. But cut up apples? They end up on the floor. The really sad part is that Harper won't even eat them. Maybe you just need more teeth for them because they are a bit hard.
Bananas are definitely your favorite food right now. You will grab an entire banana and just chow down on it. You've been known to eat 2 bananas as part of dinner. None of that surprises me because I was obsessed with bananas when I was pregnant with you (I used to tolerate them, but definitely didn't like them). I would eat one every day and some days I'd eat 2 or 3. I also loved black beans, cheese, and salsa. So far you love everything you've tried that I craved when pregnant. You haven't had salsa yet, I'll be interested to see what you think when you try it!
You didn't have a well baby appointment this month so daddy and I ended up weighing and measuring you. I'm
sure the measurements were a bit off, but I'm sure they aren't perfect even at the doctor's office. We measured you at 29.75 inches long. And according to our scale you weigh 19
pounds.
This month I packed up your 9 month clothes. It's amazing how quickly you grow! You are now in all 12 month and 18 month clothes. It's gotten cold enough that you really need something on your feet, but socks just don't stay on around here, so we've started putting shoes on you. Grammy and Grampy bought you some really soft white Nikes that you love and I think are adorable. They also got you some cute brown ones that stay on really well too. I'm not sure what size shoe you wear because brands are all so different. Your Nikes are a size 4 and your brown shoes are a size 3. We have a really cute pair of Carter's brand shoes that are so big you kick them off and they are a size 3! You're still in size 3 diapers at daycare and wearing cloth diapers at home.
Now that you are transitioning to the one year old room they will try to move you over to one nap a day. That nap is around 12:00 which means you will be asleep when I come at lunchtime when you are on that schedule. It was really hard for me the first time I came and you were taking a nap at that time. My days revolve around when I get to see you. I'm always thinking about you and looking forward to holding you. When you are in my arms I feel happy. Our time apart is hard but it sure makes me appreciate you more and make the most of every moment we have together. You are the most amazing baby boy and I love you so much!
Now that you are transitioning to the one year old room they will try to move you over to one nap a day. That nap is around 12:00 which means you will be asleep when I come at lunchtime when you are on that schedule. It was really hard for me the first time I came and you were taking a nap at that time. My days revolve around when I get to see you. I'm always thinking about you and looking forward to holding you. When you are in my arms I feel happy. Our time apart is hard but it sure makes me appreciate you more and make the most of every moment we have together. You are the most amazing baby boy and I love you so much!
I can't believe you will be a year old next month. It's amazing to think it's been a whole year since we first met. Since I held you for the first time and felt your soft, precious skin. If you can't tell, it makes me very sentimental and emotional to think about you turning one. I'm just now getting into party planning mode which is so not like me. Normally I would already have everything made, ready, and planned out a month in advance. This party? Let's just say invitations haven't even gone out. I couldn't figure out my lack of motivation for party planning until your teacher at daycare told me you would be full-time in the one year old room in January. That's when it hit me. I'm just not quite ready. Not ready for you to be one, for you to be a toddler, to let go of that newborn baby that I still picture in my head. I've come to the realization that a parent never really is. I'm always going to picture you as a newborn and wonder, where did the time go? Well now it's time to look at the birthday party as a day to celebrate what an amazing boy you are and how much we all love you, not so much as the day you are getting a year older because who wants that to happen? Not this momma!
Now on to daddy:
You are starting to talk more and more, and every once in a while, I think that you say an actual word and mean it! You were sick a couple of days last week and the afternoon I was home with you and you were feeling better and playing and talking. All of a sudden, you look down the hall (I assume see Skippy) and say kitty kitty! And then right back to playing!
You are really good at being mobile with out actually crawling. At this point, I think you are not crawling on purpose just to frustrate your mother! I am amazed how fast you can get around with rolling, scooting and a little bit of army crawling.
I love your always sunny disposition and how you always welcome your mom and I with a smile and sometimes a laugh! Getting you to laugh and smile is easy fun so of course we are doing it all the time!
Last month you and I ran a Halloween race where we dressed up as pilots and ran with your stroller that I had turned into a fighter plane! You and I had a blast and got a lot of attention which you loved. Walking up to us, people and would see the plane and go "o wow look at that!" And then they would get closer and see you and they would follow up with "aaaahhh". I think you must have been the cuter pilot!
All in all it has been an amazing 11 months and we cannot wait to celebrate your first birthday in less than a month! I know all of your family is also very excited to come see you turn one! It will be so much fun!
You are starting to talk more and more, and every once in a while, I think that you say an actual word and mean it! You were sick a couple of days last week and the afternoon I was home with you and you were feeling better and playing and talking. All of a sudden, you look down the hall (I assume see Skippy) and say kitty kitty! And then right back to playing!
You are really good at being mobile with out actually crawling. At this point, I think you are not crawling on purpose just to frustrate your mother! I am amazed how fast you can get around with rolling, scooting and a little bit of army crawling.
I love your always sunny disposition and how you always welcome your mom and I with a smile and sometimes a laugh! Getting you to laugh and smile is easy fun so of course we are doing it all the time!
Last month you and I ran a Halloween race where we dressed up as pilots and ran with your stroller that I had turned into a fighter plane! You and I had a blast and got a lot of attention which you loved. Walking up to us, people and would see the plane and go "o wow look at that!" And then they would get closer and see you and they would follow up with "aaaahhh". I think you must have been the cuter pilot!
All in all it has been an amazing 11 months and we cannot wait to celebrate your first birthday in less than a month! I know all of your family is also very excited to come see you turn one! It will be so much fun!
We saw the pictures last night, but I didn't read it until today. Early talker late walker. :)
ReplyDeleteSo true!
DeleteOnce Liam figured out how to go from laying down to sitting up on his own, he was unstoppable! He started crawling a week and a half later. :) He doesn't like cut up apples either, UNLESS I microwave them. Slice the apple, put the slices in a bowl, sprinkle with a tablespoon or so of water, cover, and microwave for 2-3 minutes. Sometimes I'll even sprinkle them with cinnamon after that. They're easier to chew that way, but not so soft he can't pick them up on his own. Also, I can't believe our boys are the same length, but Liam has about 5 pounds on Carter!
ReplyDeleteLove the idea with the apples. We will definitely try that! I was surprised that he would eat pears, but not apples. I guess they are a bit harder. I remembered reading about Liam sitting up and he started crawling soon thereafter, so I got SUPER excited when Carter sat up. I'm sure the measurements aren't super accurate. Pretty sure we've measured Carter at 30 inches for 3 months now, lol!
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